The present invention relates generally to a cigarette extinguisher and, more particularly, to a device for extinguishing a partially smoked cigarette and for storing said extinguished cigarette for later use.
Finding a suitable location and sufficient time for smoking an entire cigarette has become increasingly difficult both in the workplace and in other public facilities. As a result of a more health conscious public and increased government regulations, smokers often have difficulty finding ashtrays for proper disposal of used cigarettes or having a place to store a cigarette for later use.
Several devices have been proposed in the prior art for snuffing a cigarette and storing it for later use, such as those in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,345,953, 4,660,575, 5,377,826, 4,587,980, and 5,002,073. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices do not provide an attractive, lightweight, and inexpensive device that can be easily carried in one""s pocket while still minimizing a heat exchange between a lit cigarette and an end of the device.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a cigarette extinguisher and storage device which includes a heat resistant insert within lightweight, non-heat resistant hollow cylinders. Further, it is desirable to have a device which includes a plurality of partitioned air spaces between the insert and an end of the device for further inhibiting a heat exchange.
An apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention for extinguishing and storing a cigarette includes a first hollow cylinder having an open end and a closed end. A second hollow cylinder constructed of a heat resistant material is mounted within the first cylinder. The second cylinder includes an open end adjacent the open end of the first cylinder and a closed end longitudinally spaced apart from the closed end of the first cylinder. The second cylinder is adapted to receive and retain a cigarette therein, lit end first, in a sliding fit relationship.
As the closed end of the second cylinder does not extend all the way to the closed end of the first cylinder, an interior space is formed therebetween. Within that interior space, a plurality of partitions or dividers extend between the respective closed ends. The partitions separate the interior space into a plurality of dead air spaces. Heat which may be transferred through the closed end of the second cylinder is inhibited from being transferred to the closed end of the first cylinder by the plurality of partitions and distinct dead air spaces. This construction enables the exterior of the device to be constructed of lightweight, inexpensive, non-heat resistant materials without concern that heat from a lit cigarette placed within the second cylinder will be felt by a user.
The device includes a third hollow cylinder having an open end and a closed end. The third cylinder presents a diameter slightly larger than a diameter of the first cylinder such that the first cylinder may be slidably received therein. A flange extending radially about the first cylinder and longitudinally displaced from the open end thereof acts as a stop so as to regulate the extent to which the first cylinder is received within the third cylinder. The third cylinder acts as a cap and, when coupled to the first cylinder, prevents ambient air from entering therein to fuel the continued combustion of the cigarette. A clip attached to the closed end of the third cylinder allows the device to be releasably attached to a user""s shirt pocket, to a pack of cigarettes, or other selected item.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a device for extinguishing and storing a conventional cigarette.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device, as aforesaid, having a heat resistant insert which can retain a lit cigarette.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a device, as aforesaid, having a plurality of partitions which form dead air spaces for inhibiting a heat exchange between the insert and an end of the device.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a device, as aforesaid, which is lightweight, aesthetically attractive, and inexpensive to manufacture.
A further object of this invention is to provide a device, as aforesaid, having a first cylinder with a heat resistant insert adapted to receive a lit cigarette and which is receivable in a second cylinder such that the cigarette is quickly extinguished due to a lack of combustible gases.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a device, as aforesaid, which can be attached to a user""s shirt pocket, cigarette case, or pack of cigarettes.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.